Wilco – I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

Not sure what it is about Jeff Tweedy’s band of rarefied musicians that keeps me from their door. Of course it’s easy to fall for the scattershot charm of their big ‘hit’ ‘Outtasite (Outta Mind)’ but the thoughts of sitting through a rambling collection of their music doesn’t exactly fill me with glee. That said as a spectacle Wilco are something to behold, with endless changing line-ups and Tweedy’s fragile mindset leading to all manner of scrapes. ‘Yankee Foxtrot Hotel’ is one of the group’s most adorned pieces. With the finished studio tapes in hand Wilco’s label Warner’s decided that the album didn’t have enough commercial clout. Unwilling to compromise on their vision Wilco decided to buy out the recordings themselves. With Jim O’Rourke on production the collection is a meandering gem suitably introduced by ‘I Am Trying To Break Your Heart’. Tweedy’s sentiments are genuine and the off-kilter jamboree superbly breathes life into the songs obtuse lyrics. I’m talking myself into giving Wilco a more serious investigation here. KD